Field of the Invention and Related Art Statement
This invention relates to an endoscope connecting apparatus whereby an endoscope can be easily fitted by rotation of a rotary member which is effected by inserting the endoscope forward through an open end of the housing.
Recently, there has come to be extensively used an endoscope whereby a body cavity can be observed or treated with a treating tool without requiring any incision by inserting an elongated insertable part.
Among the above mentioned endoscopes, there are a rigid endoscope wherein the insertable part is rigid and a flexible endoscope wherein the insertable part is flexible. In the case of using such rigid endoscope, it is used generally as connected to such endoscope connecting apparatus as a hollow trocar outer needle.
As the first prior art example of the above mentioned endoscope connecting apparatus, there is one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4452546. In this prior art example, in connecting the endoscope, there are required operations of pushing the scope forward while rotating it with respect to an outer needle. As these two operations are required, the operation is complicated and effective operability has not been high.
In the second prior art example shown in FIG. 1, a sliding ring 3 energized upward by a spring 2 is provided on the outer periphery of a (connecting apparatus) body 1 having an end opening. A groove 5 provided with two slopes 4a and 4b angularly disposed relative to each other is formed on the inner peripheral surface of this sliding ring 3. When a pin provided in the connecting part of the scope is inserted, one slope 4a will be pushed against the energizing force of the above mentioned spring 2 to move the sliding ring 3 downward to the opening position. Then, when the pin passes over the above mentioned slope 4a, the other slope 4b will push the pin forward with the energizing force of the spring 2 so that the sliding ring 3 will fix the scope with respect to the outer needle. In this second prior art example, the fitting operation may be effected with one movement. However, as the sliding ring 3 moves vertically, it will be large.
In the above mentioned second prior art example, there has been a defect that, though the operation is simple, in the case of replacing the endoscope with which a body cavity as filled with water is to be observed, even if the opening of the connecting part is pressed with a finger to prevent water from leaking out, the sliding ring will be so large as to be unable to be covered and water will be likely to leak out. There has been also a disadvantage that the structure is so difficult to be positively sealed against the movement of the sliding ring 3 that water is likely to leak out through the clearance between the sliding ring 3 and body 1.